9/17/01

A bill under consideration by the student government of the University
of California at Berkeley, the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement
during the 1960s:

Whereas: On Monday, Sept. 17, 12,000 members of the Cal
community came together in peace and solidarity to mourn the loss of
almost 6,000 human lives when planes crashed into the World Trade
Center towers, rural Pennsylvania and the Pentagon,

Whereas: Despite the possibility of hate and hasty actions
across the nation, we stood united behind our values of truth and
healing that day, and

Whereas: Leaders that day remarked on our shared value of
Berkeley as a place of light where the rights of individuals with
difference are appreciated and honest, probing inquiry is encouraged,
and

Whereas: The Cal community and the nation as a whole has been
deeply hurt by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and

Whereas: Berkeley remains one of the few places in the world
where a thoughtful, critical exchange can occur from people across a
spectrum of backgrounds and races, without fear of reprisal or hatred,
and

Whereas: The Daily Californian's editorial cartoon
of two Muslims in the hand of the devil printed on Tuesday, Sept. 18
shows a complete disregard for the value of dynamic intellectual
community and a desire to understand rather than condemn, and

Whereas: The cartoon promotes the kind of harmful stereotyping
that has led to the murder of Sikhs and Muslims across the country,
and the terrorization of many more, and

Whereas: The cartoon may fall within the realm of fair comment
and free speech, but falls outside of the realm of human decency,
sensitivity, responsibility and respect, and

Whereas: The ASUC values free speech, but not hate speech, and

Whereas: The ASUC should grant office space to groups
consistent with the shared mission of community and service, as well
as the University's dedication to truth and light, and

Whereas: The Daily Californian occupies an entire upper floor
of an ASUC-run building at significantly below market rents,

Whereas: The Daily Californian's actions on this and possibly
other occasions calls into question their own commitment to the
student body's shared values, and

Whereas: The Daily Californian has not printed an apology, and
might in the future continue to act against ASUC values of community
and inquiry by perpetuating harmful stereotypes; and

Whereas: The Daily Californian will soon be renegotiating its
contract for use of the sixth floor of Eshelman Hall; therefore, let
it be

Resolved: That the ASUC Senate, on behalf of the Associated
Students and the Cal community, strongly condemn the Daily
Californian's Editorial cartoon on Sept. 18, and call for a printed
apology for using bad judgement during volatile times on its front
page, and be it further

Resolved: That the ASUC Senate recommend to the Store
Operations Board that it base the continued occupation of the sixth
floor of Eshelman and rent rates in future contracts on the Daily
Californian's actions to rectify its complete insensitivity to the
needs of its campus and its values; and be it further

Resolved: That voluntary diversity training, a printed apology,
and a new record of dedication to truth in editorial and news content
be considered steps toward such a rectification.

[Ed.: Darrin Bell was one of several editorial cartoonist who used
the same idea, that martyred terrorists expecting a blissful afterlife
amidst numerous virgins would instead find themselves in hell.
Immediately after the Californian published his cartoon, over
100 protestors occupied its offices.]